What is white elephant gift exchange? White elephant gift exchanges bring on, at one and the same time, the fun, the challenge, the strategy, the competition, the anticipation, the tension, and the dread in a way that few other party games can. Party-goers strategize to use the rules to win the white elephant gifts they want and avoid the ones they don’t. Each round, they make the choice that they think is their best competitive move to win and retain that sought after gift and avoid the rest. Then, they wait in dread and anticipation to the end of the turn, and through the next turns and rounds, to learn if their strategy is right or wrong. The white elephant game is a real ice breaker that gets guests reacting, interacting, teasing, joking, and even empathizing and sympathizing, and they can learn surprising things about each other when discussions turn to why someone wants or doesn’t want a particular gift. What is white elephant gift exchange? It’s fun!

How to Play White Elephant

There is a set of basic rules for the white elephant game, but a number of variations have developed to keep the pace from dragging during trading and to try to make the results more fun and more fair.

Basic Rules

The white elephant gift game works best with at least six invited guests. Keep in mind that the more guests you invite, the longer the game will take to play.

Each invited guest brings one wrapped gift to contribute to the pool.

The gifts are displayed together in a central location where all the players can view them.

The guests draw numbers to determine the order in which they take their turns.

The first player chooses a gift and unwraps it.

The following players decide whether to steal an unwrapped gift from a previous player or to choose a wrapped gift to unwrap.

If a player’s gift is stolen, that player then has the chance to steal a gift from someone else or unwrap a new gift.

Each previously unwrapped gift can be stolen only once per turn to prevent the play from becoming bogged down in an endless round of steals.

When every player receives a gift, for better or worse, the game is over.

Awesome Variations on the White Elephant Game for More Fun and Fairness

Variations can cover either the kinds of gifts included in the pool or how the game is played or both. Variations covering the types of gifts can include a party theme for the gifts or a suggested limit or range on the purchase price of gifts. Setting a limit or range on purchase prices keeps all the gifts relatively equal in value so that no one has to cover a feeling of being cheated while someone else feels uncomfortable with a gift that is obviously of much higher value than the others. Creative themed gift ideas include:

Gag gifts

Funny gifts

Prank gifts

Creative white elephant gift ideas

Hilarious white elephant gifts

Cheap gift ideas

Fun gifts

Small gift ideas

Unisex gift ideas

Useful gifts

Unique gift ideas

Cute gifts

Common variations of the rules include:

Allowing the first player a chance to steal an unwrapped, eligible gift at the end of the game since, at the beginning of the game, that player chose blind from among the still wrapped gifts.

Declaring a gift that has been stolen three times during the course of the game to be “frozen”, or safe from being stolen again. That gift then becomes the property of the player who stole the third time.

Declaring that, after three steals have occurred on a given turn, the person who owned the third gift that was stolen cannot steal a gift but must choose a wrapped gift. The goal is to speed up play in games allow multiple steals per turn.

Instead of limiting how many times a gift can be stolen, another variation limits how many times a player can have gifts stolen. Once a player has had that number of gifts stolen, he or she either chooses a wrapped gift or steals an eligible, unwrapped gift, and then that gift cannot be stolen. However, that player cannot reclaim the gift that was just stolen from him or her. He or she must steal a different gift.

Allowing unlimited swapping after the game is over, so long as the players involved in each swap agree to it.

Allowing swapping at the end of the game to continue until someone passes when his or her turn comes to steal.

Declaring that gifts must remain wrapped as players choose to steal gifts or take one from the pool. Gifts are unwrapped at the end of the game, and no further swapping is allowed after the unveiling.

Taking the above variation one step further by declaring that when guests bring their gifts for the pool, they must be all be wrapped in a box of a specified size and that they must be wrapped in identical wrapping paper.

Having everyone select a gift from the pool and unwrap it, and then holding a timed round of stealing so that those who select wrapped gifts that no one would steal once they’ve been unwrapped have a chance to steal a better gift. The host sets the timer in secret. When the timer sounds, the opportunity to steal ends, and everyone keeps whatever gift they have at that point.

What Is a White Elephant Gift?

White elephant gifts can be just about anything that fits the theme and price range set by the host. The best gifts with the most impact are unique in some way, so be creative when thinking up white elephant gift ideas. There’s nothing wrong with bringing a nice gift, especially if you also want to bring out the competition at the party. Cute or cool, trendy gifts also go over well. Another type of gift that can become one of the ones that people try to win is one that is a bit oddball, like an unusual, unfamiliar, but useful gadget or a strange or even downright weird decorative item. If you want to bring out the conversation, funny gifts, gag gifts, and prank gifts draw comments, jokes, and teasing as well as sympathy for the recipients. These gifts are the ones that people try to avoid, though. When deciding on a gift, keep your relationship with the other guests in mind. Joke gifts of questionable taste might pass muster at a party attended by friends with the same sense of humor, but might be inappropriate for an office party or even some family parties. Here are some white elephant gift ideas that we’ve gathered for you:

Star Trek Steel Salt and Pepper Shakers

You might struggle to convince fans of the Big Bang Theory or fans of Star Trek to keep their phasers set to stun when they’re trying to win these officially licensed salt and pepper shakers. This pair includes the U. S. S. Enterprise (NCC-1701) and a Klingon Bird-of-Prey (D-7 Battlecruiser). They’re made of stainless steel and include plugs in the bottom, so the winner can use them or add them to a Star Trek collection.

Tetris Stackable LED Desk Lamp

Fans of Tetris will race to stack trading strategy in their favor to win this officially licensed Tetris desk lamp. The lamp consists of one each of the seven Tetris shapes in six different colors. Stack them in any order. As you stack them, the LED blocks light. Disassemble the blocks to turn the lamp off.

Hydrobot Hydration Spray Bottle 1000 ML

This is one of the useful white elephant gift ideas. Athletes, backpackers, and tent campers won’t be the only ones on the trail for this BPA-free water bottle, kids and pranksters will thirst for it, too. Pump up the pressure and then twist the nozzle, and this bottle produces a cooling mist, a cleansing shower, or a stream of water that can spray out as far as 25 feet. Sure, you can use a stream that powerful to rinse off mud and sand or to share drinks of water without sharing germs, but think of its possibilities as a water gun . . . !

Critical Hit D20 Waffle Maker

With a nod to Dungeons and Dragons, the design of this waffle maker salutes the dreaded role of 20 on the game’s 20-sided die. That die determines survival in the game because it determines how much injury player characters suffer from attacks as well as the strength of factors that protect and save the character from the attack. With waffles from this waffle maker, gamers can fortify themselves against bad throws of this die.

Try this for one of the creative white elephant ideas. While Younglings will need help from adult Jedi Masters with the more advanced projects and the heavier printed paper included in this book, Star Wars fans will be firing up their lightsabers to claim this gift. Created by Chris Alexander, who founded StarWarsOrigami.com, the projects include lightsabers, Yoda, R2D2, Leia, the Death Star, and Boba Fett among others. The projects are ranked by difficulty from easy for Younglings to medium for Padawans to difficult for Jedi Knights to tricky for Jedi Masters.

Creature Cups T-Rex Ceramic Cups

Kids will think this is one of the most awesome white elephant ideas. These ceramic, microwaveable and dishwasher safe coffee or tea mugs hide a little surprise at the bottom. As you drink, a hungry T-Rex rises out of the liquid. This is one of those prank gifts or gag gifts that make such a hilarious white elephant gift that it could be a sought after one instead of one that players try to avoid. Kids who love dinosaurs and fans of Jurassic Park and its sequels will definitely want this mug.

Wonder Woman Over-Ear Headphones

Woman who have identified since their girlpowerhood with the Amazon Princess Diana of Themyscira, aka Wonder Woman and Diana Prince, will battle with their tiaras for these headphones. The officially licensed headphones feature the Wonder Woman logo, comfortably padded earpieces, an adjustable headband, and a standard jack. They include an inline microphone so that you can make and receive hands-free calls. However, they cannot be transformed into an effective throwable weapon.

Playable Electronic Rock Guitar Shirt

This is the ultimate in fun, cool gifts. Everyone will want this t-shirt, whether they know how to play or not. There’s no need for tuning. Since the chords are played by selecting a button and holding it down, there’s no need to learn fingering positions, either. This t-shirt will let the one who wins it live out his or her rock star dreams. Just remember to remove the electronics before washing.

Butter Churner

Unique gadgets always intrigue guests at a white elephant gift exchange, and this hand-operated butter churner has an additional quaint charm. It’s perfect for would-be chefs who want to experiment with making small batches of custom-flavored butter for their own recipes or to serve as a surprising accent to a meal or for someone who wants to move off the grid. A basic recipe and starter recipes for flavored butters are included. The glass base is dishwasher safe, but hand wash the rest.

Fred the Obsessive Chef Bamboo Cutting Board

Hide the chef’s knives before foodies see this 9” x 12” cutting board. Anyone obsessed with the Food Network and the Cooking Channel will hunger for it. The burnished guides display a variety of grid lines for making precise cuts for allumette, batonnet, fine and regular brunoise, fine and regular julienne, and small and medium diced cuts. Because the guides are burnished into the sustainable bamboo surface, they will never wear off.

KidsFunwares TriceraTACO Taco Holder

This novelty triceraTACO taco holder will bring out the raptor hunting instincts in kids who love dinosaurs and fans of the Jurassic Park movies. It should create some hilarity at the dinner table as well, but you might have to watch the manners. The taco holder holds two tacos. Made of polypropylene, the taco holder is lead free, phthalte free, and BPA free.

NASA Apollo Capsule Cookie Jar

That’s one big batch of cookies in this cookie jar and lots of big bites of cookies for everyone. With its connections to history, space, and space exploration, who wouldn’t want this cookie jar. Your cookies will stay fresh, too. This cookie jar has a resealable rubber gasket on the lid. It is not dishwasher safe, though, so it must be hand washed.

Beardski Ski Mask

For a funny white elephant gift, this ski mask should be at the top of the list. Even women can try the long bearded look. Just put it on. Neoprene vents for the mouth and chin let you breath and keep you comfortable. The thermal fleece in the neck keeps you warm while the beard’s silk lining provides quality construction.. The beard is non-flammable and water resistant, and the mask and beard are washable.

Fred Pick Your Nose Nose Paper Cups

No, these paper cups don’t encourage the disgusting, rude behavior you think they do. These hilarious cups are printed with 24 different photo-realistic noses, 12 women’s noses and 12 men’s noses. Some of the men’s noses have mustaches. When someone takes a drink, the nose they have appears to morph into the nose printed on the cup. These paper cups are meant for only a single use, and then they should be discarded for recycling. Each cup holds 12 ounces.

Nostalgia Retro Red Pop Up Hot Dog Toaster

Send gift seekers flashing back to the ‘50s with this hot dog toaster. It has a removable cage to hold four regular or plump hot dogs upright and steady as they toast. The toaster also has slots for four buns. Mini tongs help you remove the hot dogs from the cage. You can adjust the cooking timer and stop the cooking if your buns and hot dogs are ready before you expected them to be. A drip tray makes clean up easy.

Useless Box Kit

It’s a kit, so the winner of this gift prize will have to assemble about 50 pieces to create the shiny, black acrylic box with the mysterious switch on the top. What does that mysterious switch do? It turns the box on, which causes a finger to emerge from the box, in an Adam’s Family, Thing-like way, and turn the switch off. So, the winner can have his or her own mini-Thing. This silly box is cute, and just plain amusing. Consider, though, that the winner will need a small soldering gun and some low level soldering skills to assemble the box. The acrylic pieces also have protective pieces on each side which should be removed before assembly.

Apatosaurus Dinosaur Pet with Adoption Certificate

Once the winner of this gift assembles the terrarium, he or she can gaze into it and imagine what it would be like to live in that Jurassic world. Whether imagination leads to the world of the Jurassic park movies or back in time to the real Jurassic age, dinosaur fanciers and fans of the movie will strategize to win their own dinosaur “pet.” The Apatosaurus for the terrarium is only 1 inch long, though, so small parts mean that this is not a gift for children under three.

Retro 51 Tiki Tissue Box Holder

Elephant gift exchange players who are drawn to exotic items from other cultures might considering threatening others with their blow darts to win Rudy, the Tiki tissue box holder. The lid of the box features a textured face of polyresin molded in the style of the Easter Island statues, and the tissues come out, appropriately and humorously, through the nose.

Qualy Design Studio Elephant Wall Key Holder

What would be the best gift for a white elephant gift exchange? Try a white elephant key holder in a white elephant house created by a design studio from Thailand, where, according to one story, the white elephant gift idea began. Allegedly, the king of Siam, now Thailand, gave rare, sacred white elephants to courtiers who displeased him. They could not refuse the gift. They could not sell it or give it away. They could not put the elephant to work, so they were driven into financial ruin by having to pay for the elephant’s care. These white elephants make themselves doubly useful. Not only do they serve as a fob for your keys but also as a whistle in case you need help.

RainBowl Motion Sensor Toilet Night Light

This may seem like a gag gift, but it’s actually a useful one. It eliminates the chance that couples will wake their partners by turning on a light at night. This toilet bowl night light contains both light and motion sensors, so it only comes on when it senses someone moving in the dark. Then, it remains on for two minutes so that you can find your way back to bed. Kids are entertained by the lights, and they can control the light by themselves. The nightlight can be set to pass through the colors of the rainbow, or your child can stop the cycling to display his or her favorite color. While the arm with the LED light at the end is made to bend over the rim of the toilet bowel, you can place it anywhere. Just keep the control for the light where everyone can reach it to change the colors.

Hats & Hair

Regardless of whom will be attending your white elephant gift exchange, you’re sure to find a hat or hair accessory that salutes someone’s favorite movie, game, or character from this selection. From Star Wars to Captain Marvel to Firefly to Zelda to Minnie Mouse and beyond, you should find a gift for just about anyone in this assortment of ideas.

Mario Chain Chomp Lamp

This officially licensed desk to task lamp captures a boldly sculpted Chain Chomp. While the wielded steel chain doesn’t move, the head swivels so that you can shine the light from the 60 lumen, non-replaceable, LED bulb where you need it most. That bulb is rated to last 30,000 hours, though, so it has plenty of lives to live, and it will never become hot.

Brookstone Candyman Motion Activated Candy Dispenser

Everybody wants candy, and everybody at a white elephant gift exchange will want this sweet candy dispenser. You choose whether you want a whole bowlful, a large handful, or just a small handful, wave your hand under it, and you can always get what you want. Well, you can always get what you want if you keep it filled with gum balls, unwrapped candies, or unsalted nuts. Anything associated with candy or snacks is always one of the good gifts.

Minecraft Redstone Wall Torch

Minecraft players know the value of this officially licensed torch. The real life version looks exactly like the one from the game. Set it upright on a surface, fasten it at an angle to a wall, or carry it with you to provide light wherever you need it. The IRL torch weighs 1 pound and stands12 inches tall. Small parts mean this is not a present for children three or under.

3D Elephant Optical Illusion Night Light

This cute elephant night light will have white elephant gift exchange guests ready to go on a safari to win it. It’s actually a thin, flat sheet of acrylic, but when it’s lighted the arrangement of the lines fool your eyes into believing it’s three dimensional. The 10,000-hour LED lights will not get hot. They can be set to one color or to cycle through seven colors. This lamp plugs into a USB port for power, not an outlet.

Hamilton Beach 25475A Breakfast Sandwich Maker

This breakfast sandwich maker could be voted most useful gift at any white elephant gift exchange, and it could be the most popular as well. Build your sandwich on a biscuit, a muffin, a pancake, a small bagel, or the bread of your choice, and add an egg or egg whites and the cheeses and cooked meats of you like. Make your sandwiches low calorie, gluten free, vegan, or packed with protein. Whatever your choice, your sandwich is ready in just five minutes, and the nonstick surfaces make clean up fast as well.

Toy Poppers

Kids and adults will be aiming to win this set of four cute, whimsical animals. The set includes six colorful foam balls and a penguin, a star-spangled unicorn, and a triceratops. Pop one of the balls into an animal’s mouth, squeeze it’s stomach, and the ball flies out. Balls can travel as far as 20 feet.

SNP Animals Character Otter Printed Facial Mask

This cute and funny, playful unisex otter facial mask will have both men and women diving in to win this gift. The moisturizing mask contains 50 percent coconut water and 50 percent coconut juice and is made of natural pulp fabric with FDA certified safe colors. Cleanse your skin before applying the mask, leave it on for 10 to 20 minutes, and then remove the mask without rinsing to allow your skin to absorb all of the moisture. The box contains 10 masks.

Unicorn Tape Dispenser

This whimsical unicorn tape dispenser with its silly grin will win the hearts of everyone at a white elephant gift exchange. Even better, in addition to being unique and fun, it’s a useful gift as well. This plastic tape dispenser comes with two rolls of colorful, cheerful star-dusted rainbow tape to inspire creative gift wrapping.

Freeze the Perfect Man Ice Cube Trays

This two ice cube tray set will provide one hot topic of conversation at an all ladies or all adult white elephant gift exchange. Women will want this long, cool, muscular man chilling in their home freezers. Each ice cube tray freezes six men, so that’s 12 good men to call when needed. The trays are made of 100 percent silicone and should be hand washed.

Go Away Funny Glass Coffee Mug

Guests will strategize to ensure that this gift goes to the morning grump who needs coffee to get going and get sociable. The mug resembles a measuring cup, but instead of measuring ounces and cups, it measures the owner’s approachability – from “Go Away” to “Not Yet” to “How Can I Help You” -- in terms of how much coffee has been absorbed into the system and how much remains to be drunk.

Minnie Mouse Pompom Beanie

Young or old, fans of Minnie Mouse and Disney will want to win this officially licensed beanie. This soft, chunky, acrylic knit hat features pompoms that stand in for the classic mouse ears. The brim of this cap folds up, and the cap is embroidered with Minnie’s red and white bow.

Need Coffee Now Stoneware Not a Paper Cup Travel Mug

This set of two travel mugs will be a sought after gift at office white elephant gift exchanges. The mugs look like fast food coffee paper cups with their plastic lids, but these mugs are made of sturdy stoneware. These cups won’t collapse or crush in your hand, but the mugs aren’t microwave safe.

Big Mouth, Inc. Toilet Mug

Anyone at the office white elephant gift exchange who has had his or her nondescript mug mistaken for someone else’s may just want this gag gift. After all, its unmistakable. This mug is made of a high quality ceramics and holds 12 ounces of hot chocolate, tea, or coffee.

KSJK Unisex Funny Print Ugly Christmas Sweater

Some people just love a good ugly Christmas sweater. Others want them far, far away from their bodies. That’s why an ugly Christmas sweater is such a great addition to the gift pool at a white elephant gift exchange. This one featuring Will Smith will also be a hit with his fans, but you can choose from designs with puppies, kittens, sharks, Santa, elves, snowmen, Christmas trees, and more – some sweet, some funny, and some downright risqué. This sweater is made from 80 percent polyester and 20 percent cotton. It’s digitally printed and, with hand washing, it won’t fade. Ugly Christmas sweaters are a terrific unisex gift idea.

Star Wars Jawa Glow-in-the-Dark Cuff Links

Beware of making swaps with the person at the white elephant gift exchange who wants these officially licensed cufflinks. Sure, he or she might just be a Star Wars fan who thinks that Jawas, with their glowing eyes, are cute. Jawas aren’t so cute when negotiating a deal, though. They live for and by the trade, and someone who wants Jawa cufflinks might admire them for that and have similar skills. The eyes of the Jawas on the cufflinks glow in the dark, and the Star Wars logo appears on the back.

Solar Queen Figurines

Anglophiles and fans of the British royal family will try to imprison anyone who comes between them and this figurine in the Tower of London, and we’ve all heard what can happen to those imprisoned there. Place this pleasantly smiling figurine of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in the sunlight, and she gracefully twists the wrist of her white gloved hand in a proper royal wave. Her Majesty wears a tastefully simple but elegant dress in either pink or blue accessorized with a white pearl, double-stranded necklace; white pearl earrings; a back handbag; and black shoes.

Funny Donald Trump Snow Globe With Original Global Warming Tweet

No matter their political party or their position on global warming, the guests at your white elephant gift exchange will likely get a chuckle from this snow globe. It features Donald Trump standing in the snow in front of a New York City backdrop in nothing but his undies. The tweet appears on the base of the snow globe:

“It’s freezing and snowing in New York – where’s global warming when you need it?”

This is one of those hilarious white elephant gifts that become even more hilarious, and appropriate when you consider the animal mascot of the Republican party. You know – the elephant.

Exploding Kittens Rainbow Ralphing Cat Scarf

Guests at your white elephant gift exchange who’ve played the card game Exploding Kittens will appreciate this scarf. The stream of rainbow fabric spews from the mouth of a plush white kitten. When you wear the 59” polyester scarf, the kitten swings from the end. The scarf comes with an Exploding Kittens bonus starter card that imparts an unfair advantage upon the holder.

Cards Against Humanity: A party game for horrible people

You’ll know the sense of humor of the guests at your white elephant gift exchange, so you’ll know if they have the type of warped sense of funny that’s required. If you don’t know the game, the judge has a deck of black cards which have questions or fill-in-the-blank statements. The players have 10 white cards which each contain a potential response. Players pick a response, which is not likely to be PC and could be tasteless and risqué, and hand their cards to the judge. The judge awards a point to the player with the answer he or she likes most. This is one of the good gifts, even if it is a good gift for horrible people. It’s also a fun gift for the right horrible people.

Bigmouth, Inc. “Game of Gnomes” Garden Gnome Statue

Game of Thrones fans and lovers of garden gnomes will want to win this highly detailed, weatherproof gnome at your white elephant gift exchange. The hand-painted, resin gnome poses on the throne with his royal garden spade in hand. “Game of Gnomes” is molded into the base. At 9.5 inches tall, display this gnome indoors or outdoors.

Ceramic Donut Mug

This entire mug is covered with the realistic image of a donut with chocolate icing and sprinkles on one side and a Homer Simpson quote on the back: “MMM – Donuts!” That donut will be enough for most people to want this mug, but Simpson fans will love the quote. The high quality, dense ceramic keeps your drink hot while the mug’s handle remains cool. The mug is both dishwasher and microwave safe and resists fading, chipping, and breaking.

Star Wars BB-8 Measuring Cup Set

This one measures up another of the creative white elephant gift ideas. Neither the carving nor the bread knife will do, those devoted to cooking and Star Wars will bring out the lightsabers to duel for this set of measuring cups. The 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, and 1/2 cup nest beneath the 1 cup bowl to form the body of BB-8 while the 1 tablespoon measure nests under the 2 tablespoon measure to form BB-8’s head. These officially licensed measuring cups are BPA free and safe for contact with food, but they are not microwave or dishwasher safe.

Twinkling Stars Skirt

Women will not have to love astronomy, outer space, or science fiction to want to win this skirt. It’s a graceful, three layered skirt. Each layer is comprised of several panels for flattering, floating fullness. The see-through outer layer is imprinted with a star map of the constellations. The 30 plastic tabs on the white gauze layer support the three 15-foot strands of LED lights. The inner layer is a white lining for the skirt. Leave the lights off or remove the battery pack from the waistband during the day and only the star map shows. At night, set the lights to twinkle or shine steadily. A set of instructions explains how to attach the lights to the skirt. Remember to remove the electronics before washing the skirt.

Accoutrements Shakespearean Lip Balm Set

Brush up your Shakespeare because fans of the Bard of Avon will recognize the three men decorating these lip balms. Shakespeare brings Witty Mint balm and his quill pen to your white elephant gift exchange, looking for a lady to inspire a new sonnet. Hamlet brings Melancholy Apple balm and poor Yorick’s skull. Macbeth brings Ambitious Orange balm and an expression that warns it’s best not to ask what gift he’ll add to the pool. This might be a cheap gift idea. It’s also a small gift idea. That doesn’t mean it’s not a great gift idea, though, because it is, and it’s a useful gift idea, too. It’s certainly better than the gift ideas either Hamlet or Macbeth had.

Vbiger Octopus Ski Mask

Both men and women who love being outdoors in the winter will love this cap. Not only do the octopus tentacles create an awesome, unique look, but they will also keep your neck warm when cold winter winds blow or when you’re creating the wind as you ski or snowboard down the slopes. In fact, this ski mask is knitted from wool yarn, so it is sure to keep your entire head warm.

Hoverkraft Levitating Construction Challenge

This may look like a techy game for geeks, but anyone who’s hooked on Jenga or Tetris can be lured into the challenge. The challenge is to build a structure on a hovering platform. A six-sided die directs players to add or remove pieces. The 24 translucent pieces include six straight pieces, six L-shaped pieces, six corners, and six pyramids. The winner is the last person to place a piece without knocking pieces off of the platform or causing the platform to crash land. Games are always great gift ideas, and this game is a unique gift idea as well.

Black Lucky Cat Cookie Jar

Once the guests at your white elephant gift exchange understand that a beckoning cat is a Japanese symbol of good luck, regardless of the color of the cat, they’ll want to win this cute cookie jar, not avoid it. This dishwasher safe, ceramic cookie jar has an airtight gasket in the lid to keep cookies and other baked goods fresh.

Tesla Watch

This steampunk style analog (of course) watch is so crazy and cool at the same time that everyone will want it just for its awesome factor. An extra large fake winding stem sticks out of the side and two large LED fake vacuum tubes stick out of the top. All of the metal parts have a weathered brass look, and the watch comes with a leather band.

Space Capsule Tea Infuser

Space enthusiasts and followers of NASA will want this tea infuser, whether or not they use loose tea leaves to make their tea. They’ll want it even if they never drink tea. They may start drinking tea just so that they can use it. The space capsule is shaped like the ones used in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space missions, and it has a space-suited astronaut tethered to it by a chain. Just unscrew the heat shield from the bottom of the capsule, fill the capsule with tea, reseal the heat shield, and then splash the capsule down into your tea. When your tea is done steeping, use the astronaut and chain to recover it. The capsule, chain, and astronaut are made with food safe stainless steel, but this tea diffuser is not dishwasher safe.

A good part of the fun of the white elephant game comes from people’s reactions to the gifts. So to contribute to the fun, figure out what kind of reaction you want to create with your addition to the gift pool. You can be the good guest who brings the cute or sweet gift. You can be the thoughtful guest who brings the nice or the creative gift. You can be the funny guest who brings the gag gift or the fun gift, or you can be the unrepentant, horrible guest who looks for the biggest reaction by bringing the truly atrocious gift. Hey, somebody’s got to do it because the game just wouldn’t be as much fun without at least one truly unforgivably reprehensible gift. The gifts make the game, and there’s room in the game for every type of gift.